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Constructing 15 Years of Success

Since our founder Keller Webster established KWA Construction in August 2004, the company has grown from a small general contracting company into a nationally-recognized operation — recently reaching $1 billion in contracted work. Still owned and operated by the Webster family, KWA has built over ten thousand multifamily units across the state.

Our success would be impossible without the support of each and every one of our team and community members. As a company, we are a big family with strong beliefs and a passion to succeed and believe this is what will ultimately continue to drive our growth. Thank you for the success we have seen in the first #KWA15, and we have high hopes about the next!

Here, we take a look back at the last 15 years in remembrance of where we started and in anticipation of where we are going.

Creating Something That Matters

KWA was built on a foundation of much more than making a profit. It was created on the founding principle to cultivate a company that benefits the community and improves our local infrastructure. KWA Construction is passionate about building world-class multifamily projects and delivering unbeatable communities while harboring the greatest value possible for the developers with whom we partner. We are strong in our foundation of passionately developing our people, building great places and creating better futures.

Our growth and strongly-rooted ethical code have not gone unrecognized over the years. In 2018, KWA won the Dallas Business Journal’s Torch Award for Ethics. The sameyear, Inc. Magazine named us one of the fastest-growing private companies in America on its “Inc. 5000” list, joining an elite group of industry leaders who play a critical role in economic growth and job creation.

These recognitions stand among other national awards, including our five-time position on the list of top 25 multifamily general contractors in America by the National Multifamily Housing Council and our multiple recognitions on Dallas Business Journal’s Middle Market 50 list.

Growing & Learning

Specializing in the multifamily sector, we have expanded our skill set beyond traditional apartment communities to also include senior living and student housing projects, such as McDermott Park and 33 Degrees North for the University of North Texas.

Likewise, we have actively diversified our practices to keep up with current-day construction practices, including building energy-efficient and environmentally-friendly properties. Pinnacle Development’s Summit Parque, which was awarded the 2016 National Green Building Standard Silver Award for promoting sustainable living, is a green project we’re proud to have in our portfolio.

Building Long-Time Trust With Developers

Over the past 15 years, we have solidified ourselves as a trusted partner, having completed numerous projects for many nationally-recognized multifamily developers including Seneca Investments, Legacy Partners, Huffines Communities and Lang Partners. This is also a key player in our rapid growth over the years.

“The privilege of working with these well-respected developers multiple times is a result of the level of trust and respect KWA works hard to forge with clients. We are proud to have completed our 15th project, Firewheel Town Village, for Seneca Investments,” said Brian Webster, who became President in 2016.

The average project size has roughly doubled to $20 million, which can be credited to the higher-density, suburban developments KWA Construction has been building across North Texas in recent years. Today, many client projects average up to 350 units and $40 million in construction costs.

“The secret to our success is no secret: it’s the strong, trusted relationships we’ve formed with both our staff and our clients, many who’ve enlisted our help multiple times for their high-profile projects,” added Brian.

A notable project is phase one of Arlington Commons, a $200-million apartment community that is the largest multifamily redevelopment project in the City of Arlington’s history, as well as one of the largest in North Texas. During the mayor’s 2017 “State of the City Address,” he mentioned Arlington Commons as one of the top highlights for the city’s future success.

Media & Industry Recognition

Over the years, KWA has been recognized by local media outlets, trade publications and national associations for its record-breaking and technologically innovative work across the state. Some of our more notable projects and their respective awards include:

Mixed-Income Project of the Year:The Millennium Apartments was recognized as Multifamily Executive’s 2016 Mixed-Income Project of the Year for excellent project development, design, humanitarianism and visionary leadership.

Dallas Business Journal’s Best Multifamily Deal: Phase I of Arlington Commons was awarded DBJ’s 2016 Best Multifamily Deal. Developer The Nehemiah Company selected KWA to build phase II as well, which is scheduled for completion in 2021.

NAHB’s Multifamily Safety Program of the Year Award: KWA was honored with this award in 2010 which recognizes the achievements of builders and trade contractors who have developed and implemented high-quality construction safety programs.

NAHB’s Market Rate Rental Community “On The Boards” Award:The Landon at Lake Highlands was recognized by Multifamily Housing in 2009 for Overall Market Rate Rental Community “on the boards” category. This project also received a Silver Achievement Award during the 2009 Best 50+ Housing Awards presented by the NAHB and is certified as a Green Built Texas Project, a green building program committed to creating awareness and interest in the construction of higher-performance, lower-impact homes in Texas.

NAHB’s Best Affordable Rental “On the Boards” Award: Hillside West senior-living facility in Dallas was recognized by NAHB in 2012 with the Best Affordable Rental “On the Boards” award.

NAHB Pillars of the Industry Award:The Belleview was selected as a finalist in NAHB 2015 Pillars of the Industry for Best Affordable Apartment Community.

NAHB 50+ Independent Living Community Silver Award: McDermott Crossing received the associations Silver Award in 2014 for its blend of innovative design and active-senior living.